Kingdoms
Through its history, the world of Keren has seen many empires rise and fall. At the start of a new age where the world has been in relative peace for nearly a century, the land can be divided into nine distrinct kingdoms of which six are ruled by humans, one by the high elves, one by the dragonborn, and one by the dwarves. Five of these nations a formal alliance with one another. Player characters can come from any of the nine kingdoms; not all player races are native to every kingdom, however. Bitterbog (races: therians, humans) Bitterbog is a small kingdom that divides Faolan and Myrtlevale. Most of it is inhabited with all kinds of dangerous swamp-loving monsters that lurk within the ruins of a fallen keep. There are rumors of necromancers and evil witches hiding within those depths as well. The Vale of Ios is haven to the Dragonborn, a race descended from the metallic dragons who had befriended humanity. Chennahah (races: cheval, half-orcs, half-giants, humans, therians,) There are very few humans in Chennahah by comparison to the other kingdoms of its size. It is over-run by hill giants to the north and goblinoids in the region surrounding the shadowland of Thanos, which is filled with Undead and rumored to be ruled a powerful lich necromancer. Faolan (races: cheval, half-elves,high elves, humans, therians) Faolan is the most prosperous and safe of the human kingdoms. Ruled by a dying queen with two heirs in their early 20s, its primary hazard to travelers are human bandits or pirate raiders from Haruhe. There are only a handful of cheval, therians, and vampires compared to other nations of comparable size. Haruhe (races: half-giants, half-orcs, humans, therians) A semi-barbaric and warlike nation on the far side of the world from Faolan, it is still infested with a number of goblinoid races and suffers from orc raids from Chennahah. There is no centralized leadership, but rather a collection of clans with loose kinship ties that affect alliances and enmity. The southern islands are inhabited by pirates and smugglers, some of which sail all the way across the ocean to raid upon the far coast. Jhalass (races: high elves, half-elves, therians) A thick towering forest nation that contains the eldest surviving civilization in Keren. The high elves here are xenophobic and territorial by nature, and have little regard for the therian packs who have made their home here. Half-elves are treated with mixed tolerance but rarely warm regard. Myrtlevale (races: halflings, humans, half-elves, wood elves) Myrtlevale is a peaceful fertile kingdom that includes the gently rolling hills of the rolling downs where the halflings dwell. There are rumors of a very powerful white wizard dwelling east of the downs who protects the region. Wood elves and druids protect a shrine dedicated to Ehlonna in the heart of the Lateu Woods. Savas (races: half-orcs, humans, gnomes, therians) Savas has a long history of wars. The current dynasty is only in its second generation. Orcs, goblinoids and other predators freely roam between its fortified castles and keeps. Rock gnomes provide the human settlements with magic and engineering that enable them to defend themselves. Sharne (races: humans, therians) Sharne was once the greatest human civilization in the world and its influence spread far. A wizard's war caused the Shattering, a cataclysmic event that made a vast wasteland of the region. Human civilization has re-established itself along the only fertile region left, the blank river valley and delta. Spices, silks, crystals and grimoires from Sharne are highly vyed for in Coastport. Vallahir (races: dwarves, gnomes, half-elves, humans, therians, wood elves) Vallahir contains several vast mountain ranges that are the homeland of the dwarven clans. Most of the remaining metallic dragons live among its highest peaks. The largest orc hordes are found in the north and have been engaged in warfare with the dwarves for most of history. The wood elves here have a semi-ambivalent relations with their dwarven neighbors, except for their mutual hatred of orcs.